The GQ Award 2018 – Men of the Year – was a glamorous evening at the Komische Oper Berlin

Since 1999, GQ („Gentlemen’s Quarterly“) has been honoring outstanding personalities from the international and German show and music business as well as from society, sports, politics, culture and fashion with the „GQ Men of the Year“ Awards. Celebrities such as Bill Murray, Naomi Campbell, Sir Tom Jones, Kylie Minogue, David Beckham, Donald Sutherland, Sir Ben Kingsley, Giorgio Armani, Diane Kruger, Hans-Dietrich Genscher, Miroslav Klose have been among the winners and laudators of the top-class award gala , Nicolas Cage, Lang Lang, Michael Schumacher, Wladimir Klitschko and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The style magazine GQ Gentlemen’s Quarterly celebrated the 20th anniversary of the GQ Men of the Year Awards last Thursday in the Komische Oper Berlin. At the stylish gala, the coveted GQ Awards were presented in ten categories to national and international stars from the show, music and fashion industries as well as sports and culture.

The around 850 invited guests were accompanied humorously by moderator Barbara Schöneberger through an award show full of emotional highlights. The musical prelude to the evening was made by actress Severija Janušauskaitė with her mystical „Babylon Berlin“ hit „Zu Asche, zu Staub“.

Football World Champion Bastian Schweinsteiger traveled with his wife Ana Ivanović to receive the award as „Sports Icon“ for his outstanding sporting achievements. For „TV National“ the actors of „The Boat“ were honored, on the ground were u.a. Franz Dinda, Stefan Konarske, August Wittgenstein and Tom Wlaschiha („Games of Thrones“).

After a moving live premiere of his new song „Bist Du Da“, Herbert Grönemeyer was honored by GQ Editor-in-Chief Tom Junkersdorf as a „Legend“ and celebrated by the audience with standing ovations for his exceptional career and his social commitment.

The fashion category was also prominently populated. As „Designer of the Year“, the style magazine GQ Dries van Noten distinguished. The performance of exceptional designer Donatella Versace was another highlight of the evening. She was honored as a „fashion icon“ for her many years of service in the international fashion world after a speech by the Russian supermodel Irina Shayk.

Donatella Versace also had a special role to play this evening for another reason: on the occasion of the 20th anniversary, the award trophy with the characteristic GQ letters was awarded this year in a special design designed by the creative team of the House of Versace.

The GQ Men of the Year Awards were hosted by Condé Nast editor Moritz von Laffert, GQ editor-in-chief Tom Junkersdorf and GQ publisher André Pollmann. Wolfgang Blau, President of Condé Nast International, also came from London to experience live the GQ Awards, which are presented in twelve countries around the world, in Berlin.
After the award gala, award winners and laudators celebrated together with numerous prominent guests from the show, media, business and society until well after midnight at the exclusive after-show party in the Komische Oper Berlin.